Delusion!

Hitler’s propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels said: “Christ cannot possibly have been a Jew. I don’t have to prove that scientifically. It is a fact.” [source: “Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations”, by Paul Lee Tan] Could there be any clearer example of self-delusion than that? What can be done when someone simply does not want to believe something? When one is just not at all open to the TRUTH, what can be done? What has God chosen to do?

Paul noted in his second letter to the church at Thessalonica…
“(9) The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, (10) and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they REFUSED TO LOVE THE TRUTH and so be saved.(11) Therefore GOD SENDS THEM A STRONG DELUSION, SO THAT THEY MAY BELIEVE WHAT IS FALSE, (12) in order that all may be condemned who DID NOT BELIEVE THE TRUTH but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” ( 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 ESV)

When people are bent on continuing down a particular road, God reaches a point of giving them over or up to it. (i.e. Romans 1:24, 26, 28) When someone refuses to accept the TRUTH even the most dramatic of evidences will not do it. Jesus even stated in his teaching that there were some who would not be convinced even if someone was brought back from the dead! ( Luke 16:31) During our Lord’s ministry here on earth we even see such a response when He raised Lazarus from the dead. This grand miracle was met with the response of the Jewish leaders who saw all the more that they could not just let Jesus keep going on like that ( John 11:46-47) and even plotted to kill Lazarus who was in this case the evidence of Jesus’ power. ( John 12:10-11) Some people just don’t like the TRUTH when it doesn’t fit in to their life agenda!

What can we do to safeguard against being deceived in such a way? Those Paul referred to in his letter to the church at Thessalonica were described as refusing to “LOVE THE TRUTH and so be saved.” (vs.10) Therefore, instead of loving the pleasure of unrighteousness, let us be all the more earnest about maintaining a genuine LOVE FOR THE TRUTH! It is GODLY LOVE that “rejoices with the TRUTH.” ( 1 Corinthians 13:6) May that acceptance and rejoicing be continually ours as we strive to live in accordance with the TRUTH of God.

Have a great day SEEING TRUTH AND LOVING IT!
Carl

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